1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to aerial projectiles and, more particularly, to aerial projectiles fabricated from a baffling material in combination with a skeletal shell to confine and support the baffling material.
2. The Prior Art
Numerous aerial projectiles are available in the art for sportive games and the like. These aerial projectiles include, for example, tennis balls, baseballs, footballs, basketballs, volley balls, badminton shuttle cocks, and others. Each of these aerial projectiles is configurated for a particular type of sportive game. The external configuration of the aerial projectile determines its flight pattern after being thrown or struck with a bat, racket, etc. However, due to the weight and streamlined profile, many of these prior art aerial projectiles traverse great distances at high rates of speed thereby requiring a playing field of extensive dimensions. Additionally, because of the hard, non-resilient surface, many of these aerial projectiles frequently cause serious accidental injuries and extensive damage to property.
In recognition of the foregoing problems associated with the playing of a conventional game such as baseball or football in a relatively limited spaced, various other aerial projectiles have been provided for the purpose of limiting the flight trajectory as well as providing a soft projectile surface. These include a simple homogenous foam ball, various types of shuttle cocks, and hollow plastic balls with or without holes in the surface. Unfortunately, these various prior art, low-flight aerial projectiles tend to be erratic in flight thereby greatly detracting from their utility in a sportive game. Additionally, a simple homogenous foam ball is easily damaged during rough usage, the damage generally tending to increase the erratic behavior of the aerial projectile in flight. In addition, none of the prior art devices can be readily adjusted to travel a shorter or a farther distance from a similar propelling impetus.
Additional prior art devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 646,350 and 3,069,170 as well as British Pat. No. 16,231. The playing ball illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 646,350 is manufactured by winding a cotton yarn or other binding or fastening material around a required amount of sponge until an approximate spherical shape of a ball is attained. At an intermediate stage of manufacture, the partially formed ball includes portions of the sponge which project beyond and are not confined by the yarn. The ball is then pressed into a round shape by a suitable press until it has acquired the desired degree of elastic bounce, after which it is wound again until any portions of the sponge which may still project are completely covered and invisible. Thereafter, the ball is covered with the appropriate covering. If taken at the foregoing intermediate stage of manufacture, the playing ball would be entirely unsuitable for the purposes of the present invention particularly since the yarn material does not provide a suitable skeletal shell for the sponge so as to protect the sponge and resist deformation. Additionally, the yarn winding does not accommodate adjustment of the amount of sponge protruding from the ball to thereby suitably adjust the flight pattern of the aerial projectile.
The practice ball disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,170 is fabricated as a spherical member from a sponge material which may be left in the substantially unfinished state with the sponge material exposed. The exposed sponge material may be suitably carved with small cup-like surface recesses, or the entire ball may be covered with a suitable covering. This practice ball likewise has no skeletal shell to protect the sponge material and, furthermore, there is no provision for selectively altering the flight characteristic of the practice ball.
The practice golf ball disclosed in British Pat. No. 16,231 is formed as a sphere of cork or the like. The cork may be protected with one or more equitorial or circumferential rings or rubber or similar material. The rings are sprung into peripheral grooves in the sphere and extend sufficiently above the surface thereof to receive and thereby cushion the blows of the golf club.
In view of the foregoing, it would be a significant advancement in the art to provide an aerial projectile which (a) combines the air resistance and impact cushioning of a baffling material such as a foam plastic with (b) a skeletal shell of durable, deformation resilient, lightweight material such as nylon or other suitable plastic, the combination (c) rendering an aerial projectile which flies true and is suitable for hard-hitting games in small areas. Such an invention is disclosed and claimed herein.